TRUST AND OBEY

When I was a teenager, I went to a Baptist church for a while and I learnt this beautiful old hymn and have often sung it.  

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet

Or we'll walk by His side in the way

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go

Never fear, only trust and obey

Trust and obey.  Simple, isn't it?   

What He says, we will do.  If only I was that willing and ready to obey.

Never fear, only trust and obey.   Fear has been a constant companion - fear of those over me.   

When your trust was shattered early in life, then you've learnt to fear others and trust only yourself and that's dangerous.   It feels safer to trust yourself, but it actually isn't safe.  It feels safer, looks safer, but it's actually a dangerous and damaging way to live, though it's hard to recognise that.     You end up self-protecting, hiding, pretending, striving, fretting, worrying, walking into harmful situations, and you end up surviving, alone, captive to your fears.  That's no way to live.  It's certainly not His desire for His people. 

I love these verses from Isaiah 40, where God reminds His people how strong and all-knowing and faithful He is, worthy of our trust. 

Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand,

And His arm shall rule for Him;

Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd;

He will gather the lambs with His arm,

And carry them in His bosom,

And gently lead those who are with young.  Isa 40:10,11

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel:

“My way is hidden from the Lord,

And my just claim is passed over by my God”?

Have you not known?   Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.  Isa 40:27-29

What I'm discovering is that when trust is restored (and that's a long, slow process), then to obey becomes not only possible, but something you want to do because you understand the benefits of it and understand the heart behind the One who asks obedience of you.    

When God is able to heal your deepest wounds, not because He needs you, but because He loves you, you start to realise, at a heart level, that He CAN be trusted with your obedience.  

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.    Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.   Jer 29:11-14

You start to realise how strong and capable He is, but also that His heart's desire is for your good.   That realisation needs to happen at a deep level, because many of us have been wounded at a deep level.   

Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’   Matt 22:37

Obedience takes loving God with a whole heart and that's hard, when you're protecting your heart from more pain.  

We can't love Him with all our hearts, soul, and mind when we're protecting them, because we learnt to self-protect and keep a safe distance from anyone who was in charge.  

That's why the Lord challenged and upended that stronghold in my life a few weeks back. 

In letting go of that structure that I had built to protect myself from those in charge in my life, I realised that buried with it was a deep rebellion against anyone telling me what to do, including my heavenly Father.  For the most part, I've conquered that, worked through it over the years, but there are still areas of my life that He is now challenging, and asking for simple obedience.    

What seems like freedom (to do whatever I want) is often actually captivity to bondages like addiction, coping mechanisms, fear, unresolved pain, mistrust, self-protection, and ongoing frustration.

Obedience breaks those chains, those bondages, those walls of captivity, those ingrained patterns of behaviour, and sets me free to grow, to thrive, to learn new ways of walking.

But obedience takes trust, a wholehearted trust, and therein lies the struggle.   

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.     I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity...    Jer 29:13,14

These verses below speak of two alternatives - once again, the wrestle, like Jacob.   When do I stop wrestling?  The trouble with being strong all your life, is that you often use that strength in the wrong ways - like following your own path, and resisting Him.  

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding,

Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; 

but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.  Ps 32:8-10

What I'm discovering, is that what I really need is Someone beyond myself to correct me when my mindsets and actions are damaging, to show me what I can't see, heal what I can't fix, to give me mercy, to be stronger and wiser than me and to lead me, if only I will follow.

I need a Shepherd.    I need a Father.    I need a Counsellor, Comforter, Helper, King.   Simple.    That's what I've needed all along, but I haven't always wanted it, or been able to trust myself to that.   Simple, but not easy.   

I need a Shepherd to lead me on paths of righteousness - paths that are right and true.

I need a Shepherd to restore my soul with His love and mercy and truth.

I need a Shepherd to heal my wounds.

I need a Father, who allows me to be a daughter, to rest in Him. 

I need a Father, to protect me and guide me and correct me.  

I need a Counsellor, to give me wisdom, to show me how to live in and walk out His truth.

I need a Comforter, to give me comfort when I'm hurting, and hope when I'm feeling like it's all too hard.  

I need a Helper, who strengthens me to walk through my days, carrying the load with me that He's given me. 

I need a King who is in charge, who fights off the enemy and gives me a safe fortress to dwell in, who teaches me His kingdom principles to live an abundant life.  

I have all of these, in Him, but to really grow and move forward in areas where I'm 'stuck',  I need to do two things - trust and obey.   Simple.

What I'm discovering is that my Father and King and Shepherd is very trustworthy.   What I'm also discovering is that the more I obey His small promptings, gentle whispers and firm corrections, the more I lean into His mercy, the more I realise I can trust Him with the next hard thing that He challenges me to do or overcome or surrender.   

The more I trust Him, the more I can obey.  The more I obey Him, the more I can trust.

Once again, I'm reminded to dig into that abundant mercy that is on offer to those who reverence Him as God and Father.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,

So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.   Ps 103:11

My son (daughter), do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands;

For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.  Prov 3:1,2

So, in light of His mercy, and His trustworthiness -

Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?   Heb 12:7

Seems childish, but no, it's actually child-like, and that's where we need to be - daughters and sons, ready to submit to our Father and live.   And it's okay to be a child in His care.  It's safe there.     

https://teachldschildren.com/tag/jesus/

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.   1 John 3:1

Let those who fear the Lord now say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

I called on the Lord in distress;

The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  Ps 118:4-6

I recently discovered this song and it spoke to my heart at just the right time.  

So, I throw all my cares before You

My doubts and fears don't scare You

You're bigger than I thought You were

You're bigger than I thought

I stop all negotiations

With the God of all creation

You're bigger than I thought You were

You're bigger than I thought You were, oh

I will rest in the Father's hands

Leave the rest in the Father's hands

I will rest in the Father's hands